New Tonalin® CLA Study Suggests Burning Fat During Sleep May be More Than a Sweet Dream

Cognis Nutrition & Health | Sep 23, 2007

La Grange, Ill., Sept. 24, 2007 – Burning fat while you sleep may be more than just a sweet dream, according to a Tonalin® CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) study published in the current American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1. The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed to investigate the physiologic mechanism responsible for the CLA-related loss in body fat.

In the trial, 23 overweight adults (BMI range of 25-30) experienced increased fat oxidation and energy expenditure (fat burning) during sleep. These results suggest that the mechanism for the efficacy of CLA supplementation for fat loss is at least partially due to increased fat oxidation during sleep. A trend of increasing fat oxidation during the day time was also observed, although it is not statistically significant.

“This study confirmed that the effect of CLA on fat oxidation is on body fat rather than fat from diet,” said Prof. Dale Schoeller, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an author of the study. “It’s important to understand how CLA positively alters fat loss and this research provides valuable insights.” He cautioned that CLA is most effective when taken as part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a reasonable diet and exercise.

Researchers used an advanced metabolic chamber with continuous 24-hour monitoring, providing highly accurate measurement of fat oxidation. The metabolic chamber is considered the “gold standard” in human metabolism studies.

The 24-hour monitoring showed that the change in fat oxidation during sleep was significantly different in the Tonalin® CLA group with 11 grams more fat oxidized during sleep compared to the placebo group. This equated to an increase of 14 percent in fat oxidation for fat burning during sleep among those taking 3.2 grams daily of Tonalin® CLA compared to a placebo.

Previously reported CLA studies that did not see similar findings used much shorter monitoring periods, lacked metabolic control, or failed to monitor sleeping hours.

This study was derived from a recently reported study in which Tonalin® CLA supplementation for six months was associated with decreasing weight and fat loss, and preventing fat regain during the November-December holiday season, and in the normal aging process2.

The new findings provide important insight into the actual physiologic mechanism for CLA activity in reducing body fat and help explain the impact of Tonalin® CLA in reducing fat storage, the number of fat cells and size of fat cells.

Cognis’ Tonalin® CLA is derived from natural safflower oil, is stimulant-free, and is the most clinically tested CLA on the market. Research shows that Tonalin® CLA helps reduce body fat mass and offers long-term health benefits, especially for yo-yo dieters. According to a paper also recently published in the AJCN3, 15 of the 18 clinical trials included in a CLA meta-analysis used Tonalin® CLA. The research suggests that Tonalin® CLA could enhance overall health by effectively reducing body fat, and potentially preventing weight and fat regain commonly experienced by adults.

Tonalin® (www.tonalin.com) CLA is the original brand of CLA and is an exclusively licensed product of the Cognis Group. CLA is a polyunsaturated, conjugated fatty acid that is a natural part of the human diet, found primarily in meat and dairy products. Cognis produces Tonalin® CLA through a proprietary process that converts linoleic acid from safflowers into CLA, providing the highest quality of CLA available. Tonalin® CLA contains the lowest amount of non-naturally occurring isomers, a patent-protected attribute that provides food and dietary supplement manufacturers with the highest levels of ingredients known to be beneficial. Tonalin® CLA is available in several product forms—such as oil and water-dispersible powder—offering manufacturers a broad range of options for their products.

About Cognis:

Cognis (www.cognis.com) is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles, as well as agriculture and mining. The subsidiary Pulcra Chemicals offers specialized chemical products and process expertise to customers in the fiber, textile, and leather industries. Cognis also holds a 50-percent stake in the joint venture Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of oleochemicals. Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2006, Cognis recorded sales of 3.37 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (operating result) of 394 million euros.